The argument escalated into a clash in which sticks were used and stones were pelted, resulting in injuries to some persons and damage to vehicles
Representational Image
A police official said that seven persons were arrested on Monday after two groups clashed in Dombivli in Thane district following an argument over garlanding the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar during a function to mark his birth anniversary, reported news agency PTI.
The Dombivli police station official said the incident took place at Mashal Chowk.
"People had started gathering at the site since 1:45 am. One group wanted to garland the Babasaheb Ambedkar statue first, but another set of people objected to this. The argument escalated into a clash in which sticks were used and stones were pelted, resulting in injuries to some persons and damage to vehicles," he said, reported PTI.
"Those arrested and injured include women. The situation is fully under control. Further probe into the incident is underway," he added.
Ambedkar's birth anniversary celebrated as political parties vie for his legacy
As the birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution, was celebrated across the country on Monday, political parties squabbled to claim the Dalit icon's legacy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the Congress the "destroyer of Constitution".
Hitting back, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of paying only "lip service" to Ambedkar's legacy but doing nothing to fulfil his wishes, and claimed the BJP-RSS were his "enemies".
Earlier in the day, thousands of people from across the country arrived at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, Maharashtra to pay tributes to Ambedkar on his 134th birth anniversary and take part in various programmes scheduled to mark the occasion.
Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in 1956, making it a revered site for his followers.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid floral tributes at the statue of Ambedkar in the Parliament House Complex.
Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi also paid homage at the statue of Ambedkar.
President Murmu said Ambedkar's contributions across various fields would continue to inspire future generations to work with dedication towards nation-building.
PM Modi said that it was due to his inspiration that the country was dedicated to realising the dream of social justice. His principles and ideas will strengthen and speed up the building of an 'aatmanirbhar' (self-reliant) and developed India, he said on X.
Later, addressing a gathering in Haryana's Hisar, the prime minister alleged that the Congress has become the "destroyer of the Constitution" framed by Ambedkar.
"Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to bring equality, but Congress spread the virus of vote bank (politics) in the country. He wanted every poor person to live with dignity, with heads held high, to dream and fulfil them. But the Congress made the SCs, STs and OBCs second-class citizens," he said.
PM Modi alleged the Congress turned the pious Constitution "into a weapon to gain power" and spread the "virus" of vote bank (politics).
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the Modi government paid mere lip service to him and reiterated the demand for a caste survey to push social justice.
While PM Modi led the BJP's charge on its rivals and its push to be identified as the champion of constitutional values espoused by Ambedkar, Kharge alleged the BJP-RSS were his "enemies".
(With inputs from PTI)
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